Heterosemy

Heterosemy is like having a "secret code" for words. It means that one word can have different meanings depending on the context and how it's used in a sentence.

Let's use the word "bank" as an example.

If we say "I'm going to the bank to deposit money," then "bank" means a place where you can keep your money. But if we say "Don't fall in the river bank," then "bank" means the edge of a river.

So even though we're using the same word, we have to understand the context to know what it really means. That's the idea behind heterosemy!